Fluid-operated tool



April 1932i L. L. RICHARDSON ,855,364

FLUID OPERATED TOOL Filed Aug. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3/ 1 M /5 /6 m a 40 2/ w 35 1 r 1 L j w 34 A 3 i .4

3/ 5 l! l 5 57 45 25 5 l5 l7 Z g BY raJLMaM ATTORNEY I April 1932- L. L. RICHARDSON FLUID OiERATED TOOL Filed Aug. 29; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LE0 1,. e/a/fiqfiasofl INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE LED L. RICHARDSON, OI! CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND BOOK DRILL J COMPANY, 01 CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FLUID-OPERATED TOOL Application filed August29,1930. Serial No. 478,758.

This invention relates broadly to fluid operated tools of the percussion type, and more specifically to improvements therein which embody mechanism for efl'ectuating the ro- [If tation of the cutting tool. I

One object of this invention is to provide a fluid operated tool with a frictional duving mechanism, which can be readily manip-' ulated by the operator when the rotative 110. movement of the cutting tool becomes restrained while drilling rock or similar material of a variable density.

Further objects and advantageous features will be apparent from the following detailed 1 description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein s1m1lar characters of reference designate correspondin parts and wherein;

ig. 1 is a vertical sectional new of a pneu- 20 matic tool'of the stoper type illustrating one embodiment of my invention, wherein the toothed disk is in disengaged relation with respect to the ratchet ring; the drill being free to rotate.

Fig. 2 is a pers ective view of the ratchet ring which I pre erably use.

ig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a pneumatic tool of the stoper type embodying th s invention, wherein the toothed disk is in pos tive engagement with the ratchet ring.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the toothed disk.

With reference to the drawings, particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, I have illustrated a stope drill of the hammer type which comprises a cylinder within which is reciprocatively mounted a piston 11 having an extended stem portion 12, operatively associated with a drill steel or cutting tool in the usual manner. The cylinder body is formed to accommodate the support of a horizontally disposed control handle 13 which is mounted thereon with a tapered socket 14 being secured by two semi-circular clamping members 15 which are held in cooperative relation thereto by a threaded bushing 16. Integrally formed with the outermost end of the handle 13 is a depending casing 17 in which there is disposed a valve 18 having a 50 rotatable control knob 19.

Within the cylinder 10 and adapted to cooperate with the piston 11 is the operating valve 20 which is organized tov effect the distribution of the compressed fluid. This valve is mounted for reciprocative movement within the valve block 21, the latter being fitted securely within the cylinder 10. The operation of the valve 20 and the consequential reciprocation of the piston 11 are efiected in a manner common to tools of this type, and since the operation of this portion of the machine forms no part of the present invention no further description of these elements need be given here, other than the direct attention to an orifice or exhaust port 22 in cylinder 10 which is arranged, in relation to the mean and extreme positions ofthe piston stroke, to afford communication between the cylinder and the atmosphere during the op eration of the piston.

Adjacent to the lower face of the valve block 21. and interposed between the bearing plate 23 and the head block 24 I have provided a ratchet mechanism 25 which is effective to control the movement of the piston 11. This ratchet mechanism 25 comprises a toothed ring 26 havin a plurality of pawls 27, and a depending ange having teeth 28 thereon. A disk 29 has an upstanding toothed flange 30 which is adapted to coact with the toothed flange 28 on the ring 26. The pawls are adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet member, and the ring is restrained from rotation when the teeth of the disk 29 are moved into engaging relation with the teeth of the ring 26. The disk 29 is adapted to be slidably mounted on a plurality of pins 30 which are imbedded in the head block 24 and which serve to secure such disk against rotation. The disk is piston-like in its mounting and the teeth 51 thereon being urged into engagement with the complemental teeth on the ring, or out of such relation by fluid pres sure exerted on the faces of the disk which will be referred to, hereinafter, more in de- 95 tail. A rifled stem 31 is coordinated with the ratchet ring 26 and is maintained within the head of the piston 11 in a bore of complemental configuration. The ratchet and its appurtenances are efi'ective to control the mo rotative movement of the piston and turn the cutting tool or drill during the reciprocative movement of the piston.

The-head block 24 is formed to support a water tube 31 and a packing gland 32 which is provided to convey water or air to the cutting tool in accordance with the practice common in mechanisms of this type. throttle valve 33 is provided to control the supply of compressed fluid admitted to the valve 20 through conduit 34.

I have provided a port 37 leading from valve 20 to recess 38 which is adapte to co operate with one end of the conduit 39 axially located in the control handle 13 for conveying fluid pressure to the valve 18 disposed in the vertical portion of such control handle. Leading from the valve 18 is the conduit 40, which is adapted to convey fluid pressure to the chamber 41 situated above the top face of the disk 29. Similarly the conduit 42conveys fluid pressure from the valve 18 to a chamber 43, below the disk 29.

In the operation of this invention the compressed fluid is admitted through the throttle valve 33 into the conduit 34 by which it is conveyed to the valve mechanism 20. Thus reciprocative movement of the piston 11 is effected b the intermittent flow of fluid into maintaining the control valve in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the fluid pressure will flow from its source through the bypass 37 recess 38 and conduit 39 to the valve 18, where the recess 44, therein, operatively connects the conduits 39 and 40, the latter leading the fluid pressure to the chamber 41. As shown, the toothed construction 51 of the disk 29 is positively held from engaging the complemental construction on the ring 26 by the pressure exerted on the upper face thereof, thus permitting the ring to rotate relative to the drill casing. When the valve 18 is in this position the chamber 43 is in communication with the atmosphere through conduit 42, aperture 45 in the valve stem 48 and exhaust port 46 in the end of the control arm 13, to relieve any pressure on 50 the lower face of the disk.

As shown in Fig. 3 the conduit 39 is operatively connected with conduit 42 by the slotted recess 47 in the valve stem 48, thus fluid pressure flows to the chambers 43, and pressure is exerted against the lower face of the disk 29 causing it to move longitudinally and the teeth 51 formed integrally therewith to engage the teeth 28 of the ring 26 thus prohibiting the rotation of the ring and effecting the ratchet function; To re lieve any pressure on the upper face of the disk the chamber 41 is in communication with the atmosphere through the conduit 40, aperture 49 in the valve stem 48 and exhaust port 50.

It will be apparent from the foregoing 'detailed description that I have provided a control means for effecting the rotation of a'tool in a rock drill, embodying many advanta-' geous features over those tools now in common use, and it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and it is to be further understood that various rearrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the sco e or spirit of the invention as herein claimed I claim:

1. In a fluid operated tool, a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a rotation mechanism coordinated with said piston, said rotation mechanism comprising a ratchet ring rotatable within said cylinder, a rifle stem and pawls o eratively connecting said ring and stem, a uid actuated locking mechanism comprising a disk in axial alignment with said ring reciprocably and 'non-rotatably mounted in said cylinder, protuberances upon said diskcapable of engagement with said ratchet ring for holdingsame against rotation, fluid actuating areas on said disk and valvular means for controllin the admission and exhaust of motive flu1d to and from said areas effecting thereby the reciprocation of said disk and the engagement or disengagement of said protuberances with or from said ratchet ring.

2. In a, fluid operated tool, a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a rotation mechanism coordinated with said piston, said rotation mechanism comprising a ratchet ring rotatable within said cylinder having a depending flange formed with teeth thereon, a rifle stem and pawls operatively connecting said ring and stem, a fluid actuated locking mechanism comprising a disk in axial alignment with said ring reciprocably and non-rotatably mounted in said cylinder, teeth upon said disk capable of engagement with the teeth of said ring thus creating an annular engagement of the one with the other for holding said ring against rotation, fluid actuated area on said disk subjected to the action of motive fluid for maintaining the disk in holding relation with said ring and other fluid actuated area subjected to the action of motive fluid for maintaining said disk out of engagement with said ring;

3. In a fluid operated tool, a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a rotation mechanism coordinated with said piston, said rotation mechanism comprising a ratchet ring rotatable within said cylinder, a rifle stem and pawls operatively connecting said ring and stem, a fluid actuated locking mechanism comprising a disk in axial alignment with said ring reciprocably and non-rotatably mounted in said cylinder, means upon said disk for engagement with one annular end surface of said ring for holding the ring against rotation, fluid actuated area on said disk subjected to the action of motive fluid to maintain said disk in holding relation with said ring, other fluid actuated area subjected to the action of motive fluid to maintain said disk out of engagement with said ring and means for exhausting to atmosphere one of said areas when the other is subjected to the action of motive fluid.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LED L. RICHARDSON. 

